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Honey of a finish in Flower Bowl At the top of the stretch in Saturday's $588,000 Flower Bowl Invitational S. (G1), Glencrest Farm's HONEY RYDER (Lasting Approval) didn't look to be in a winning position, but the tough gray split rivals and then out dueled 3-2 favorite Film Maker (Dynaformer) by a nose to claim her fourth stakes victory of the season and her first Grade 1 prize in the United States. With regular rider John Velazquez aboard, the Todd Pletcher mare finished 1 1/4 miles on the firm inner turf in 2:02 2/5. Honey Ryder's uncoupled stablemate, Jade Queen (Giant's Causeway), shot straight to the front in the early stages, posting fractions of :24 4/5, :50 1/5, 1:14 4/5 and 1:39. As Argentina (Ire) (Sadler's Wells) tracked in second, Honey Ryder loped along just behind, roughly in tandem with Film Maker to her outside. Jade Queen was still full of run entering the stretch, and while Argentina backpedaled after being steadied, Film Maker ranged up to challenge the leader. Honey Ryder was momentarily treading water on the inside, but as soon as Velazquez found room between a stubborn Jade Queen and a one-paced Film Maker, he sent his mount through, and Honey Ryder seized the advantage in the shadow of the wire. "It was not easy for (Honey Ryder) to do what she did," Velazquez said. "She got squeezed between horses and kept running. While the other horses had a clean trip coming to the quarter-pole, I had to squeeze my way out. I tried to do what was best for the horse by saving ground and waiting for our time. Luckily, it worked out well. She put up a good fight." "It was my fault that she didn't run better in her last race (when fourth in the Beverly D. S. [G1])," Pletcher confessed, saying that he had given Velazquez faulty instructions last time. "We were focused on getting her covered up today, regardless of what the pace was. She basically has one, small blemish on her record, and like I said, that was my fault. She's been awfully good all year." Film Maker held second by a half-length from a valiant Jade Queen. It was another 3 3/4 lengths back to Angara (GB) (Alzao), who loomed into contention in upper stretch but flattened out in the drive. Argentina rounded out the order under the wire, while Barancella (Fr) (Acatenango) and Latice (Ire) (Inchinor [GB]) were scratched. Leaving the gate as the 2-1 second choice, the winner returned $6.70, $3.10 and $2.80. Film Maker gave back $2.70 and $2.20, and the unheralded Jade Queen furnished $3.90 to show as the longest shot on the board at 17-1. The exotics totaled $13.20 (exacta) and $74 (5-7-2 trifecta). Honey Ryder improved her record to 26-12-1-7 with a bankroll worth $1,823,310. Grade 2-placed as a three-year-old, she blossomed last year at four, racking up wins in the E. P. Taylor S. (Can-G1), Orchid H. (G2), Glens Falls H. (G3), The Very One H. (G3) (setting a new Gulfstream course record of 2:11 3/5 for 1 3/8 miles on firm turf) and the Robert G. Dick Memorial Breeders' Cup H. This season, she captured her second straight Orchid (this time a Grade 3) and Dick Memorial, along with a score in the Sheepshead Bay H. (G2). Bred in Kentucky by Wimborne Farm, Honey Ryder was sold as a yearling for $70,000 at the Wimborne dispersal in July 2002. Produced by the Affirmed mare Cuando Quiere, she is a half-sister to Grade 3 winner Cuando Puede (Lord at War [Arg]), herself the dam of 2005 Go for Gin S. winner Spanish Mission (Coronado's Quest); three-time stakes victress and multiple Grade 2-placed Cuando (Lord at War [Arg]); and Grade 3-placed Cuanto Es (Exbourne). Cuando Quiere has since produced an unraced two-year-old colt named Propaganda (War Chant) and a 2006 filly by A.P. Indy. This is the family of 1972 Kentucky Oaks (G2) heroine Sun and Snow (*Hawaii).
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